Bubble cap hold-down device



Julie 6,. 1950 J. w. KELLEY` I v BUBBLE CAP How-Dom DEVICE Fuga nec. 12, 1947 lll',

` JNVENTGR. .l0/zzz @Kelley /MW A RNEY mama Jus s, vissu BUBBLE CAP HOLD-DOWN DEVICE .John W. Kelley, East Chester.' N. Y., assignor to The Lummus Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 12, 1947, Serial No. 791,343 a claims.' (ci. 2er-114) l This invention relates to'hold-downs for bubble caps and more particularly to such devices applied individually between each bubble cap and its respective riser.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide novel and improved forms of holddowns for connecting bubble caps to their risers.

More particularly it is an object of the invention to provide individual bubble cap hold-down means operable from one side only of the supporting deck and which require only one man for application and/or removal.

An important object of the invention resides in the arrangement of the hold-downs to have minimum effect on the flow of gas or vapor through the deck opening and riser tube.

Another important object of the invention comprises the varrangement for complete removal of all parts of the hold-down means when separating the cap from the riser whereby cleaning is facilitated.

Still another important object oi' the invention resides in the provision of hold-down means which is removably fastened to the bubble cap and extends into openings in the wall of the riser tube.

One of the features of one embodiment ofthe invention consists in the use of an arch-like spring centrally secured to the bubble cap and having end-mounted pins engageable in radial holes in the wall of the riser tube.

An important feature of a second form of the invention consists in the use of a bolt extending diametrically through both thc skirt of the bubble cap and the wall of the riser tube and secured rigidly tothe former.

Other and further objects andfeatures of the invention will be? apparent to those skilled in the art on aconsideration of the accompanying drawings and following specificationwherein are disclosed two exemplary embodiments of the invention, with the understanding that such modifications and combinations may be made therein as fall within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In said drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical central section through a bubble cap assembly and hold-down constructed in accordance with the present invention, taken. on line I-l of Fig. 2 and illustrating in dotted lines the releasing movement of the arch spring forming a part of the hold-down mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and looking upwardly as indicated by the arrows;

40 satisfactory for various reasons.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary' vertical section taken on line I-S-of Fig. 2, illustrating one of the combined supports and spacers for positioning the cap in respect to the riser and deck; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a. modied hold-down means as well as a different supporting and spacing means for the cap.

Bubble caps are widely used in many processes, where it is necessary to provide intimate contacting between a liquid and a gas or vapor, and

l5 face of the liquid and bubble under the edge of the cap in the form of small bubbles which rise then through the liquid for further contact therewith. Bubble caps are arranged in multiple formation on plates or decks in towers or stills,

which decks are usually spaced apart only suillciently to permit a man to move between them for assembly and subsequent cleaning, which may even include removal of the bubble caps in order that the passages through the riser tubes may be cleaned.

Unless the bubble caps are extremely heavy, as would be achieved by casting them with excess metal, it is desirable to provide some hold-down means to prevent them from being bodily lifted off of their risers by the pressure of the gas or vapor ascending therethrough. Even though the caps are made of a considerable Weight, certain gasv pulsations or excess pressures occurring transiently may serve to lift one or more of them oi of its riser. This would cause a free by-pass of gas or vapor and materially reduce the effectiveness of the deck on which it occurred.

Various suggestions have been made for bubble cap hold-downs but these have not been wholly Some involve plates, bars, rods or the like, cooperating simultaneously with the top or a. special lug on a plurality of caps and attached to the deck or to projections thereon by bolting or the like. Others are applied to individual caps and include wires,

vertical bolts passing into spreaders spanning the deck opening for the riser and bearing against the under face of the deck, etc. Many of these restrict the flow through the riser and most are cumbersome, difcult to operate in the limitations are rendered ineffective or extremely dimcult of removal as the result of corrosion, erosion and/or the building up on their various surfaces of deposits of carbon, sludge and other chemical or waste constituents.

In accordance with the present invention simplied hold-downs are provided offering a minimum of difficulty in application and/or removal and which offer a minimum of resistance to the rising gases or vapors. Their construction is extremely simple, the cost of manufacture low, and replacement or removal rendered extremely simple and cheap underall conditions.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of the invention, and rst tothe embodiment of Figs. l, 2 and 3, there is illustrated at I a plate or deck forming a portion of a treating tower or still, such for instance as shown in the patent to Risdon, No. 1,711,656. Such a deck is provicrled at predetermined intervals with apertures II through which pass the riser tubes I2, conveniently fitting the apertures closely and having a liquid-tight connection thereto by virtue of a weld seam I3 surrounding the upper junction of the plate and tube. l y

Liquid is caused to flow across the plate in a manner as disclosed in the above patent by some similar approved method and maintains a level approximately that shown by the line L in Fig. 1, so that it will not overflow through the riser tubes under any conditions. Any conventionally accepted form of bubble cap I5 cooperates with each riser tube, as shown. Such a bubble cap, illustrated in Fig. 1, includes a substantially hat top I6 and circular vertical walls or skirt I1, the lower edge of which is appropriately dentated as at I8 to assist in breaking up the gas or vapor into the desired bubble size and disposition.

The form and construction of the deck, riser tube and bubble cap have no bearing on the present invention, and those illustrated are of more or less conventional form. Bubble caps are supported either directly from the deck, as for instance by extending some of the teeth I8 or providing other supports, but in many cases it is desirable to support them from the upper edge of their cooperating riser tube. The tube and cap are preferably co-axially disposed whether circular in cross-section or otherwise formed.

As shown in Fig. 3, a simple combined support and positioning bracket 20 is secured at intervals within the inner Wall of the cap near its upper end, but any other satisfactory form of support may be used. Three is an appropriate number for the brackets for obvious reasons and is shown in Fig. 2. Each of these brackets is a metal plate notched as at 2| by the intersection of horizontal and vertical cuts. The horizontal surface of the three brackets cooperates with the upper edge 23 of the riser tube I2 to support each bubble cap at the proper distance above the deck'plate to insure uniform immersion of the lower edges of all of the caps so as to make sure that none are starved and none over supplied with vapor. The vertical walls of the several brackets engage the outer wall of the riser tube I2 to insure co-axial disposition of the tube and cap. The caps are readily positioned by merely dropping them over the tubes.

In order to provide for attaching the cap fixedly to the riser tube, the latter is diametrically perforated as at 25 close to the upper edge in order to accommodate the pins 26 radially disposed and outwardly extending from the opposite free ends 21 of the spring 28. This spring may be generally dciined as arch-shaped, having a flat central por- 4 tion 29, inclined connecting portions 3l, and the substantially vertical depending ends 21 supporting the pins. If necessary the spring may be formed of corrosion resistant metal.

Such spring may be bent without the use of tools, for instance to the position shown in dotted lines at the left, to permit the pins to be inserted within the bore of the riser tube and moved about until they enter the holes 25, under the normal resiliency of the spring, to thereby position the spring within and above the tube where it does not interfere with the eluent gas. To further decrease the interference the ends of the spring are tapered, as seen at 32 in Fig. 2.

The center of the spring is perforated as at 33 to pass a bolt 34, which also extends through a perforation 35 in the center of the top I6 of the cap. The bolt may receive nut 31, which can be a separate part, but it is preferred that it be attached as by welding to the spring or its under face, thereby integrating the parts and permitting a single handed operation. The non-circular head of the bolt may seat on a suitable washer 36 to prevent escape of gas or vapor through hole 35. It will be noted that the spring and its cooperating bolt serves the sole purpose of a holddown and is not relied on for positioning the cap either vertically or radially.

When assembling caps to tubes, the springs can initially be bolted to the caps and the whole applied to the risers, but a more convenient method consists in mounting the springs independently, where it is simpler to see and position the pins in respect to the holes and to subsequently apply the caps and bolts. The removal operation preferably includes the removal of the bolts and the caps and then the springs, all of which can be taken out of the tower for cleaning, leaving the interior of the riser tube entirely free and clear for the insertion of any cleaning instrument or brush which might be used. Likewise there are no outer obstructions so the exterior of the tubes can be readily cleaned. No part of the hold-down remains to interfere in any way whatsoever with the cleaning operation.

In Fig. 4 the disposition of the riser tube 59 and the bubble cap 52 is not substantially diierent from that described in connection with the rst embodiment, but here has been illustrated a second form of cap mounting comprising the legs 53 depending from the cap below the edge of the teeth and resting on the surface of the deck I0. Such legs are shown as three in number and formed from strips of metal plate radially disposed against the inner wall of the skirt where they are attached as by welding. They have adequate radial dimensions to engage against the outer wall of the riser tube to insure co-axial disposition of the cap and riser. Conveniently the lower ends of the legs are tapered on the inner face as at 54 to facilitate initial assembly and to reduce the amount of engagement with the deck, whereby minimum resistance to cross ow of liquid is produced.

In this construction diametrically arranged openings 55 are provided in the riser near its upper edge to accommodate portions of a holddown bolt 55 which passes radially through openings 51 in the skirt of the bubble cap at the proper height to receive the same and is fastened thereto. One end of the bolt is provided with a xed head 59 and the other end is received in a nut 60 which may or may not be attached to the wall of the cap skirt. As in the case of the rst embodiment the circular rod which passes through the openings is attached .to the cap and extends into the holesin the riser. This form of the hold-down is extremely simple and in the event of corrosion or wear the bolts'can be replaced from any standard stock. In both embodiments it will be seen that the whole application and/or removal ofthe caps can be eiiected from the upper surface ,of the deck by a single operator, thus facilitating removal and cleaning. I claim: 'v

1. A bubble cap assembly for use on a tray or deck comprising in combination a tubular riser element, a skirted bubble cap element extending over the upper ends of said tubular riser, spacer support means carried by one oi' said elements and engaging `the other for maintaining'said eleelement with its skirt edge spaced above the deck.

' said riser element having a plurality of widely and circumferentially spaced holes therethrough -freeendofeacharinforre'eeptioninone ofsaid l mens'ion .in unstressed condition substantially ments in coaxial relationand supporting the cap adjacent to the upper edge thereof, and spring means disposed ln-said cap element and.` detachably secured to the top thereof.` said spring means *y having a plurality of resilient arms extending into theupper end portionxofsaid riser element and spaced for alignmentwith lthe holes therearms being provided with va fastening `projection interengaging one of said holes. 2. A bubble cap assembly for use on a tray or element xed to thedeckfat a hole therein, a skirted bubble cap element-cooperating with said -riser and extending over the upper end thereof,

means on one of said elements'to position the cap to the riser and'to'support the same with its skirtedgespaced above 'the deck, said riser having opposite radial holes therethrough through, thejreeend portion ot'each of said f The following references are of deck lcomprising in combination a tubular riser llo' vme gruss patent:

holes. and means joining said spring and cap above the level of the top edge of the riser.

3. A bubble cap assembly comprising a deckmounted riser tube having circumferentially spaced perforations near its upper edge, a skirted cap over said tube, combined supports and spacers secured to the inner face of the skirt and arranged to engage the upper edge of the tube to support the cap thereabove in coaxial relation therewith. a flat spring element of maximum' diequal tothe inner diameter of said riser and having an axis of ilexnre in ka horizontal plane whereby said spring Vis restrained from exerting any substantial force in a vertical plane, a center perforation in said spring, a center perforation in said cap, a bolt passing through said center perforations for attaching the cap to the spring,

said spring element having downturned ends and a pin on each of said ends adapted to be snapped into one of said perforations to secure thelcap to the tube, whereby said spring when assembled is insubstantially unstressed condition. v y

' JOHN W. lKELLEY.

REFERENCES orrlm UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,805,635 Primrose i May 19, 1931 1,965,549 Holmes et al. July 3, 1934 2,163,472 Cloud Aug. 8, 1939 2,175,360 Peil! Oct. 10, 1939 l v2,210,808 .Glitsch Aug. 8, 1940 2,222,565 vKraft ...L Nov.'1,9. 1949 2.344.329 Bhoresman Mar.A 14, 1944 2.391.502 OBrien Dec. 25, 1945 2.443.912 Ackroyd June 22,1943 Y 2,461,729

autres seb. 15,1949

record inthe 

